Basic HTML Version
strategic purpose in that they were easy to construct and could be filled in with rocks and
dirt in the case of a siege. There was also another possibility during a siege: “And the city
was broken up, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between two
walls, which is by the king’s garden: (now the Chaldees were against the city round
about:) …” (2 Kings 25:4).
In the case of war the enemy besieged a city and made efforts to breach the “wall”
with a battering ram. The goal was to force a breach wide enough for the troops to enter
into the city; “And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash
the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of
Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits [about six
hundred feet]” (2 Kings 14:13). At the time of Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion and victory
over Jerusalem, he had the “walls” of the city demolished: “And they burnt the house of
God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire,
and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof” (2 Chron. 36:19). For this reason Nehemiah
had to help his unsuccessful compatriots to rebuild the “wall” about 135 years later:
“Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and
the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem,
that we be no more a reproach” (Neh. 2:17).
)
also referred to any “wall,” whether around buildings or parts of the city
such as the temple precincts: “And behold a wall on the outside of the house round about,
and in the man’s hand a measuring reed of six cubits long by the cubit and a handbreadth:
so he measured the breadth of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed” (Ezek.
40:5).
The Septuagint gives the following translation:
(“wall”).
WAR
A. Noun.
(
, 4421), “war; battle; skirmish; combat.” This word has a
cognate only in Ugaritic. Biblical Hebrew attests it 315 times and in all periods.
This word means “war,” the over-all confrontation of two forces (Gen. 14:2). It can
refer to the engagement in hostilities considered as a whole, the “battle”: “… And they
joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim” (Gen. 14:8). This word is used not only of
what is intended but of the hand-to-hand fighting which takes place: “And when Joshua
heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war
in the camp” (Exod. 32:17).
"
sometimes represents the art of soldiering, or
“combat”: “The Lord is a man of war …” (Exod. 15:3).
There are several principles which were supposed to govern “war” in the Old
Testament. Unjust violence was prohibited, but “war” as a part of ancient life was led
(Judg. 4:13) and used by God (Num. 21:14). If it was preceded by sacrifices recognizing
His leadership and sovereignty (1 Sam. 7:9) and if He was consulted and obeyed (Judg.
20:23), Israel was promised divine protection (Deut. 20:1-4). Not one life would be lost
(Josh. 10:11). God’s presence in “battle” was symbolized by the ark of the covenant (1
Sam. 4:3-11). His presence necessitated spiritual and ritualistic cleanliness (Deut. 23:9-
14). Before and during “battle,” trumpets were blown placing the cause before God in
anticipation of the victory and gratitude for it (Num. 10:9-10), as well as to relay the
orders of the commanders. A war cry accompanied the initiation of “battle” (Josh. 6:5).